The Story of Crumpler's Life

Rebecca was born in Delaware on February 8, 1831, to Absolum and Matilda Davis. In her book, Crumpler admits "It may be well to state here that, having been reared by a kind aunt in Pennsylvania whose usefulness with the sick was continually sought, I early conceived a liking for, and sought for every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others." For high school, she attended a prestigious private academy, West-Newton English and Classical School.

In 1852 Crumpler married her first husband, Wyatt Lee and stayed in Massachusetts for 8 years working as a nurse. In 1860, with a recommendation by fellow doctors for excellence in nursing and desire to improve her skills, Crumpler applied to the New England Female Medical College, a school for white women. Despite low odds, she was accepted and eventually graduated in 1864, becoming the first black female physician in the United States. Following the death of her husband in 1863, she remarried to Arthur Crumpler. Together they moved to Boston, where Crumpler opened up a practice, specializing in her true passion, women and children. But, after the war ended in 1865, the Crumplers moved to Richmond, Virginia to help newly freed slaves left homeless without medical care with the Freedman's Bureau. In her Book of Medical Discourses, she states here she found "real missionary work" and a place to "become acquainted with the diseases of women and children." Despite discrimination for her gender and race by her peers, she persevered with the hope of helping people in need. In 1869, she states, "at the close of my services in that city I returned to my former home, Boston, where I entered into the work with renewed vigor, practicing outside, and receiving children in the house for treatment; regardless, in a measure, of remuneration." 

In 1870, upon their return the Crumplers had a daughter named Lizzie, but she likely died at a young age. In Boston, Crumpler bought 67 Joy Street Building on Beacon Hill, to live and run her practice. In 1880 she moved, again, to Hyde Park, Massachusetts where she settled down and wrote her Book of Medical Discourses. It was about women and children's diseases, one of the first books focusing on this. Sadly, on March 9, 1895, at age 64 Rebecca Lee Crumpler passed away. She is buried at Fairview Cemetary in Boston and even today, some people have come together to create the Rebecca Lee Society to honor her life, and support and promote black women physicians.

"I early concieved a liking for, and sought for every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others."
~ Rebecca Lee Crumpler